On August 24, 2026, the United States removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation that had been in place since 1979. The State Department announced the removal after a 45-day congressional notification period, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in the previous year. This designation had imposed restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, defense exports, and certain financial transactions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the opposition group Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, which played a role in the ousting of Bashar Assad in 2024, will also be removed from the specially designated global terrorists list. Rubio noted that the Syrian government has taken significant steps to counter terrorism, including joining the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in November and conducting operations against various terrorist networks.
The Treasury Department also lifted economic restrictions on Hay’at Tahrir al Sham. Following Syria’s removal from the list, only Cuba, Iran, and North Korea remain designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. The decision to remove Syria from the list aligns with bipartisan calls from lawmakers who cited the establishment of a new Syrian government that has shown efforts to combat terrorism. This change is expected to facilitate private sector investment in Syria and enhance U.S. strategic interests in the Middle East.